LIHEAP AT Instructions for LIHEAP Household Report - Long Form FY 2013

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Instructions for the LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 2013–Long Form

Division of Energy Assistance/OCS/ACF

August 22, 2013

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

This information collection (OMB Control No. 0970-0060; Expiration Date: 10/31/14) is conducted in accordance with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) statute (Public Law 97-35, as amended), and 45 CFR 96.82. Information received from this collection provides data to the Administration and Congress in its oversight of grantees' performance in administering the LIHEAP program.

Public reporting burden for this information collection, LIHEAP Household Report for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2012—Long Form, is estimated as follows for the two parts of the Report: (A) an average burden of 25 hours per respondent for “LIHEAP Assisted Households,” and (B) an average burden of 13 hours per respondent for “LIHEAP Applicant Households.” The estimates include the time for reviewing instructions, and gathering, editing, maintaining, and reporting the data.

The responses to this information collection are required in order to obtain LIHEAP funding in accordance with Section 2605(c)(1)(G) of the LIHEAP statute. This information collection is required of the 50 States, District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico that are applying for FFY 2014 funds.

This information is not considered confidential; therefore, no additional safeguards are considered necessary beyond that customarily applied to routine government information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The reporting instructions are organized into the following sections and subsections:

Number of Households by Each Vulnerable Group for EACH Type of Assistance
Number of Households by Any Vulnerable Group, for EACH Type of Assistance
Number of Households by Each Vulnerable Group, for ANY Type of Assistance
Number of Households by Any Vulnerable Group, for ANY Type of Assistance
Optional Breakout of Households with Young Children

Examples are an important part of understanding the instructions, and are included in the following tables:

Table

Title

1

Household Data Element Locator; (p. 8)

2

Scenarios in Counting Unduplicated Assisted Households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance; (p. 9)

Counting Unduplicated Households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance; ((p. 14) and

5

Requested (Optional) Counts of Assisted Households with Young Children (p. 15)

Introduction

Section 309 of the Human Services Amendments of 1994, Public Law 103-252, amended section 2605(c)(1)(G) of the LIHEAP statute to require grantees, as part of their annual LIHEAP grant application, to report certain data on households which apply for LIHEAP assistance and on households which receive LIHEAP assistance in the most recent Federal Fiscal Year.

As with the LIHEAP state plans for FFY 2014, September 1, 2013 is the deadline for all grantees to submit their LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 13. (This date may be extended for tribal grantees if the state(s) in which the tribe is located agrees to a later date. The date may be extended for state or territorial grantees if HHS agrees to a later date.)

LIHEAP grant applications will not be considered complete without submission of the data in the LIHEAP Household Report, including the identifying information. Consequently, a FFY 2014 LIHEAP grant will not be awarded to a grantee until its completed LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 2013 is received, and all other application requirements have been completed.

Given that the LIHEAP Household Report for FFY 13 is to be included as part of the LIHEAP grant application for FFY 2014 (which is due before the end of the FFY 2013), estimated counts of household data will be accepted for any of the LIHEAP Household Report’s data elements with the grantee application so as not to delay the awarding of LIHEAP grants for the following FFY. Final LIHEAP household data for FFY 2013 is to be submitted to us by December 15, 2013 in preparation of the Department’s LIHEAP Report to Congress for FFY 2013.

Federal LIHEAP Funds

Households could be assisted in FFY 2013 with the following Federal LIHEAP funds:

The purpose of the LIHEAP Household Report is not only to report on the number of households assisted with appropriated FFY 2013 LIHEAP funds. The purpose is to report on the number of households assisted with all available LIHEAP funds during FFY 2013, including those LIHEAP funds obligated in FFY 2012, but not expended until FFY 2013.

Basic Types of LIHEAP Assistance

LIHEAP grantees have the flexibility to choose which types of LIHEAP assistance best meet the needs of their low income households. Federal LIHEAP funds are used to provide the following basic types of assistance to households:

heating assistance;

cooling assistance;

winter/year round crisis assistance;

summer crisis assistance; and

weatherization and energy-related home repairs.

Other Types of LIHEAP Assistance

There are states which provide households with “other LIHEAP assistance,” as described in a state's LIHEAP Plan for FFY 2013. For the most part, this would include households receiving “other crisis assistance,” such as furnace or air conditioner repairs. Also, this would include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) households that were provided a relatively small LIHEAP payment to increase the amount of SNAP benefits that they receive. Pages 5-6 describe how to count and report on households receiving “other LIHEAP assistance.”

General Requirements

Understanding of the reporting instructions will minimize our need to contact you for clarification or correction of your state’s reported data, saving both our agencies time and effort. This also will enhance our timeliness in compiling, editing, and reporting the data. If possible, we want to avoid having to note in the LIHEAP Report to Congress, that a state’s data are inaccurate, estimated, unavailable, or untimely.

Identifying Information

Please include in your LIHEAP Household Report the name, date, and telephone number of the person to be contacted if we need to follow up with your states about its LIHEAP Household Report. The Report will be considered incomplete if this information is not included. Also, include the date for any subsequent submission of a revised LHEAP Household Report—Long Form.

Reporting Period

Household data are for the reporting period for FFY 2013 (October 1, 2012 - September 30, 2013). Grantees may operate their programs on a different program year (e.g., starting January 1 or July 1). However, complete household data still need to be reported for FFY 2013.

Definition of Household

The unit for LIHEAP counting is the household; not the head of household or persons in the households. LIHEAP household counts need to be consistent with Section 2603(5) of the LIHEAP statute that defines the term "household" as “any individual or group of individuals who are living together as one economic unit for whom residential energy is customarily purchased in common or who make undesignated payments for energy in the form of rent.”

Given the above definition, a homeowner, a renter whose home energy costs are not included in its rent, and a renter whose home energy costs are included in its rent are counted as separate households. Also, a boarder who rents from a homeowner an apartment or living space with its own heating or cooling system is counted as a separate household. The counting of households becomes complicated if a household splits into two households over the FFY. This is a critical point when reporting an unduplicated number of households receiving any type of LIHEAP assistance in FFY 2013. (See Table 4 below for examples.)

Households Assisted Only with Federal LIHEAP Funds

Count all households assisted in FFY 2013 only with Federal LIHEAP funds, as indicated above. Include complete data for households receiving LIHEAP weatherization assistance even if those funds were used under the Department of Energy’s Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program.

Concept of Unduplicated Household Counts

As in the past, grantees are required to report in the LIHEAP Household Report “unduplicated counts” of LIHEAP applicant and assisted households. Such data must be reported separately for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance. As of FY 2011, data also must be reported separately on households that received ANY type of LIHEAP assistance. More specific information is included as described in the section, “Unduplicated Household Counts” on pages 7-10.

The concept of unduplicated counts means that an item, such as a household, is counted only once for a specific data variable. However, unduplicated counting becomes complex when there are multiple data variables. Such counting requires the use of computerized data systems and tracking of households across a state’s entire LIHEAP program.

Assisted vs. Applicant Households

The Long Form includes Part A for assisted household data and Part B for applicant household data as described below. The reporting instructions on unduplicated household counts and poverty data are the same for reporting on assisted and applicant households.

Assisted Households. As of FFY 2011, unduplicated household counts are to be reported for households that receive (assisted) households receive ANY type of LIHEAP assistance, as described below. Report households that received a LIHEAP basic benefit for EACH and ANY type of LIHEAP assistance in FFY 2013. Unduplicated data also must include households that receive any “other” type of LIHEAP assistance, as explained below.

Applicant Households. The definition of "applicant" households is left to each LIHEAP grantee, as the LIHEAP statute does not define the term. Consequently, there will be variation among states in their counts due to differences in how states define "applicant" households. For example, some states may not count those households screened out before a formal LIHEAP application is completed. Also, states may not have households apply for LIHEAP once their programs close.

The count of applicant households should include the number of households that applied for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance, whether or not they actually receive LIHEAP assistance. Stated differently, the count should include the number of approved, denied, and pending applications for each type of LIHEAP assistance. This count should be greater than the count of assisted households for each specific type of LIHEAP assistance, depending on a state’s definition of an “applicant” household. If this is not the case, please include a brief explanation in the note under Section B.

State Reported Total vs. Calculated Total Number of Households

For FFY 2013, the Long Form includes two sub-columns for the number of assisted and applicant households. Enter the number of assisted and applicant households for each type of assistance under the column, “State-Reported Total.” Compare that number with the number under the column, “Calculated Total” after entering the number of households by poverty levels. The totals should match. If not, check the data entries and/or provide a note as to why the totals do not match each other.

Households Receiving “Other LIHEAP Assistance”

A number of states provide “other LIHEAP assistance.” In the past, the LIHEAP Household Report limited other LIHEAP assistance to “other crisis” assistance. Examples include emergency home heating/cooling equipment repairs or replacements; shelter programs; furnace restarts, utility reconnections, etc.

Counting and reporting on the number of households receiving “other LIHEAP assistance" are needed to credit states for their efforts in assisting such households (consistent with states’ LIHEAP Plans for FFY 2013), and to provide an accurate accounting of the program’s entire caseload.

Households receiving “other LIHEAP crisis assistance” are to be counted and reported as follows:

ADD those households that received "other crisis assistance" to winter/year round or summer crisis assistance if they represent additional households excluded from the crisis assistance data. Also include poverty data and vulnerable household data. Include a note that indicates how many of these households are included in the data.

DO NOT ADD those households that received "other crisis assistance” to winter/year-round or summer crisis assistance if they already received winter/year-round or summer crisis assistance so as to avoid duplicating the data count. Include a note that describes that assistance and how many of the reported households received the “other crisis assistance.”

Some states provide “other LIHEAP non-crisis assistance” that is not crisis in nature, e.g., summer fill program, Percentage of Income Payment, reduced LIHEAP benefits for SNAP households (often referred to as “Heat/Cool or Eat Programs”), etc. With the exception of SNAP households that receive reduced LIHEAP benefits, households receiving “other LIHEAP non-crisis assistance” need to be counted and reported as follows:

ADD those households that received "other non-crisis assistance" to the basic type of related basic assistance (i.e., heating, cooling, or weatherization assistance) if they represent additional households. Add those household’s data to the poverty levels and vulnerability groups for that basic type of LIHEAP assistance. Include a note that briefly describes “other,” which basic type of assistance includes these households, and the number of such households.

DO NOT ADD those households that received "other non-crisis LIHEAP assistance" if they also received heating, cooling, or weatherization assistance. Include a brief note that describes “other non-crisis assistance,” and which basic type of LIHEAP assistance it is related. An unused row of LIHEAP assistance on the LIHEAP Household Report can be labeled “other non-crisis assistance” to report only the number of households receiving that type of assistance.

SNAP households receiving a reduced LIHEAP benefit are not to be included with the heating assistance data. (The reduced LIHEAP benefit allows such households to receive an increased SNAP benefit.) Instead, include a note that indicates how many of the SNAP households received restricted LIHEAP benefits. The number of such households will be included in a footnote for the relevant states in the annual LIHEAP Report to Congress.

Estimated vs. Actual Household Counts

The Long Form includes the general question, “Do the data below include estimated figures? Check off NO or YES as appropriate. If ‘YES,’ mark X in the second column below for each type of assistance that has at least one estimated data entry.

Please provide a note if actual data are not available, indicating which data elements are estimated. Include estimates for poverty level and vulnerable households to ensure completeness. When actual data are reported later in a revised report, please remove the X from the column(s) and mark X for No to the question.

Data Consistency

The data will be checked for consistency against the type of LIHEAP assistance that states report on the LIHEAP Grantee Survey for FFY 2012 that will be sent in November 2012 with a due date of December 15, 2013. For example, if obligated funds are reported for cooling assistance, but there are no household data for cooling assistance, then include a note which explains the inconsistency or send us a revised LIHEAP Household Report or Grantee Survey.

Household Data Elements

Both required and requested (optional) household data elements are included in the Long Form.

Data Elements

The required data need to be completed for each type of LIHEAP assistance provided in FFY 2013. A data element constitutes the value for each cell in the spreadsheet in which data are entered.

Household Data Element Locator

Unduplicated household counts must be reported for the following data elements, as indicated by the following bracketed numbers which are used to identify the specific data elements in the remainder of these instructions:

[1] number of assisted households, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

[2] number of applicant households; by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

[3] number of assisted households by poverty level, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

[4] number of applicant households by poverty level, by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

[5] number of assisted households having at least one member 60 years or older (elderly vulnerability group) by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

[6] number of assisted households having at least one member with a disability (disability vulnerability group) according to the state’s definition by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance;

[7] number of assisted households having at least one member 5 years or under (young child vulnerability group) by EACH type of LIHEAP assistance.

[8] number of assisted households by ANY type of LIHEAP assistance;

[9] number of assisted households by any vulnerable group [5], [6] or [7], for EACH type of LHEAP assistance;

[10] number of assisted households by each vulnerable group [5], [6], and [7], for ANY type of LIHEAP assistance; and

[11] number of assisted households by any vulnerable group [5], [6] or [7], for ANY type of LIHEAP assistance.

Table 1 on the next page displays a LIHEAP Data Locator that indicates where the data for the above bracketed elements appear in the Long Form.

Unduplicated Household Counts

This section reviews the reporting of unduplicated counts of LIHEAP households for the above bracketed data elements.

Number of Households for EACH Type of Assistance [1] [2]

State grantees are required to report unduplicated counts of assisted and applicant LIHEAP households as described below. Only data elements [2] and [4] are to be reported for applicant households for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance provided during the fiscal year. Reporting pointers include:

A household is to be counted only once for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance received by the household. For example, a household receives two heating assistance benefits and three winter crisis assistance benefits. Count that household once under heating assistance and once under winter crisis assistance for both applicant and assisted households.

An unduplicated count of households by means that households are to be counted only once for each type of LIHEAP assistance that they applied for or received. For example, a household receives two heating assistance benefits and three winter crisis assistance benefits. Count that assisted household once under heating assistance and once under winter crisis assistance.

Table 1. Household Data Element Locator

A. LIHEAP ASSISTED HOUSEHOLDS

REQUIRED DATA

Type of LIHEAP assistance

Number of assisted households

2011 HHS Poverty Guideline interval, based on gross income and household size

At least one member who is

Under 75% poverty

75%-100%poverty

101%-125%poverty

126%-150%poverty

Over 150% poverty

60 years or older (elderly)

Disabled

Age 5 years or under (young child)

Elderly or Disabled or Young Child

Heating

[1]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[9]

Cooling

[1]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[9]

Winter/year round crisis

[1]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[9]

Summer crisis

[1]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[9]

Weatherization

[1]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[3]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[9]

Any type of assistance

[8]

[10]

[10]

[10]

[11]

B. LIHEAP APPLICANT HOUSEHOLDS FOR LONG Form (regardless of whether assisted)

REQUIRED DATA

Type of assistance

Number of applicant households

2011 HHS Poverty Guideline interval, based on gross income and household size

Under 75% poverty

75%-100% poverty

101%-125% poverty

126%-150% poverty

Over 150% poverty

Income data unavailable

Heating

[2]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

Cooling

[2]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

Winter/year round crisis

[2]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

Summer crisis

[2]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

Weatherization

[2]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

[4]

A household is counted separately as a heating assistance applicant and recipient household if it receives heating assistance in October 2012. The household in December 2012 divides into two households, e.g., due to divorce or an adult child moving out of the house. The new household is to be counted as an applicant household and assisted household if it receives a specific type of LIHEAP assistance later in the Federal Fiscal Year.

The count of applicant households cannot be lower than the count of assisted households. In most cases, the count of applicant households is greater than the count of assisted households, depending on a state’s definition of an “applicant” household.

A household receives “fast track” or “expedited” heating assistance in a crisis fuel situation when the grantee does not have a separate amount of funds designated for crisis fuel assistance. The expediting or fast tracking constitutes crisis intervention and the payment to the household constitutes heating assistance. Count that assisted household once under heating assistance and once under crisis assistance. Count that household as an applicant household only for heating assistance, as no crisis assistance funds were used.

Table 2 presents scenarios of five households lettered A–E. The scenarios provide examples of reporting of unduplicated household counts for those household under EACH type of LIHEAP assistance.

Table 2. Counting Unduplicated Households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance

Household Scenarios

Number of Assisted Households by Type of LIHEAP Assistance

Heating

Cooling

Winter/Year Round Crisis

Summer Crisis

Other Crisis

Wxz.

Household A receives three heating assistance benefits and one summer crisis assistance benefit.

Count a household once that received at least one type of LIHEAP assistance regardless of the type(s) of assistance provided to a household. For example, if a household received three heating assistance benefits, one winter crisis assistance benefit, and one cooling assistance benefit, then count that household once under ANY Type of LIHEAP assistance, regardless of receiving three types of LIHEAP assistance.

Poverty Intervals [3] [4]

The number of households counted for EACH type of LIHEAP assistance cannot be added to calculate the unduplicated number of households that receive ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance because a household may receive more than one type of LIHEAP assistance.

Table 2 also indicates the counting of the five households that received ANY type of LIHEAP assistance.

Household poverty levels must be reported according to the specified percent intervals. The number of assisted and applicant households are to be counted by poverty level for EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance [3], but not for households receiving ANY Type of Assistance [4].

Reporting pointers include:

An unduplicated number of households by poverty level means that a household is to be counted only once within a poverty level for EACH type of provided LIHEAP assistance. For example, a heating assisted household’s poverty level is 79%. Count that household once within the interval of 75%-100% poverty for heating assistance under both applicant household and assisted household.

The sum of the number of assisted households across the poverty intervals must equal the total number of assisted households for each type of assistance provided by the state. If this is not the case, note the reason.

Gross Household Income Adjusted by Household Size

Gross household income, adjusted by household size, is to be used in calculating a household’s poverty level regardless of whether net income is used to establish income eligibility for LIHEAP assistance. Count an assisted household under the poverty level which is determined by the household's gross annual income and the household size. Gross income is the household's income before any deductions or adjustments, such as taxes or medical costs, are made to household income. Household members represent those related and/or unrelated individuals who are living together as one economic unit for whom residential energy is customarily purchased in common or who make undesignated payments for residential energy in the form of rent. (U.S.C. 8622)

If gross household income determinations are made using less than a full year's income for a household, then annualize the months of income used, e.g., 12 times one month of household income, or four times three months of household income. Gross household income and household size also are needed for those households that are categorically eligible for LIHEAP assistance, such as households receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), SSI, SNAP, or certain needs-tested veterans’ benefits.

A household's gross annual income and/or household size can change during the fiscal year. If a household received two benefits or services under the same type of LIHEAP assistance, use that

household's gross annual income and household size at the time of the initial determination of benefits or services in calculating that household's poverty level for statistical reporting.

Calculating and Assigning Households to Poverty Percent Intervals

The specific intervals for the poverty percents are shown in the Long Form. Compiling the data is best handled by computer programming. The basic steps in calculating both an applicant and assisted household's poverty level for FFY 2013 are as follows:

Obtain information on the household's gross income and number of members in that household.

Refer to the 2012 HHS Poverty Guidelines for the state’s dollar amount that constitutes 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for the number of members in the household.

Divide the assisted household's gross income by the dollar amount equal to 100% of the 2012 HHS Poverty Guidelines, multiply the result by 100, and express the result as a rounded percent of the 2012 HHS Poverty Guidelines.

Based on each assisted household’s calculated percent, count the assisted household under the appropriate poverty interval. Adding the number of assisted households by poverty intervals should result in the unduplicated number of assisted households for each type of LIHEAP assistance. If this is not the case, please note the reason as described on page 5. The guidance also applies to reporting the number of applicant households by poverty intervals (including applicant households with “Income data unavailable.”

Some households that qualify for LIHEAP income eligibility using a household’s net income will be counted in a higher poverty level using gross income. For example, a household’s net income, adjusted for household size, may equal that state’s income cutoff of 125% of poverty. The use of the household’s gross income would most likely result in that household’s classification of “126 - 150%” of poverty. To further illustrate, below are four examples of calculating and classifying a household's poverty interval [Note that the numbers below utilize the Federal Poverty Guidelines from FFY 2011, and are for purposes of example only. Your submission should be based on the Federal Poverty Guidelines used by your program in FFY 2013]:

A weatherization assistance household with one member from Maine has a gross income of $7,998. According to the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Maine, $10,890 represents 100% of the Poverty Guidelines for a one one-person household. Divide the household’s income of $7,998 by $10,890 and multiply by 100 = 73.44%. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 74% of the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is classified as being “Under 75% poverty” for weatherization assistance.

A heating assistance household with three members from Washington has a gross income of $22,890. According to the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Washington, $18,530 represents 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for a three-person household. Divide the household’s income of $22,890 by $18,530 and multiply by 100 = 123.53%. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 124% of the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is classified as being “101-125% poverty” for heating assistance. A winter crisis assistance household with five members from Arizona has a gross income of $47,859. According to the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines for Arizona, $26,170 represents 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for a five-person household. Divide the household’s income of $47,859 by $26,170 and multiply by 100 = 182.88%. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 183% of the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is classified as being “over 150% poverty” for winter assistance.

A summer crisis assistance household with 10 members from New York has a gross income of $52,174. According to the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines for New York, $45,270 represents 100% of the HHS Poverty Guidelines for a 10-person household. Divide the household’s income of $52,174 by $45,270 and multiply by 100 = 115.23%. Rounding off to the nearest whole percent = 115% of the 2011 HHS Poverty Guidelines. That household is then classified as being “101-125% poverty” for summer crisis assistance.

Number of Assisted Vulnerable Households

An assisted household is classified as vulnerable if it has at least one household member who belongs to any of the following three groups of vulnerable households:

elderly, i.e., one member 60 years or older;

disabled (using the grantee's definition of "disabled", as the LIHEAP statute does not define the term); or

young child, i.e., age 5 years or under (include all children who are not yet 6 years old, that is, up to 5 years and 364 days old.

Table 3 includes scenarios about four households that provide further examples of the counting and reporting of unduplicated household counts for each group of vulnerable households.

Table 4 on the next page provides examples for counting vulnerable households for EACH and ANY Type of Assistance as described below.

Number of Households by EACH Vulnerable Group for EACH Type of Assistance [5] [6] [7]

Data need to be reported separately for each of the three vulnerable groups of households for EACH type of LIHEAP, as shown in Table 4 on the next page. In calculating and reporting the data, note the following:

A household is to be counted for each vulnerable group in which the household has at least one member who is 60 years or older, disabled, or age 5 years or under. For example, a household receives heating assistance includes one child 2 years old, another child 4 years old, and an elderly member who also is disabled. This household would be counted once under each of the following vulnerable groups for heating assistance: 60 years or older; disabled; and age 5 or under.

An assisted household with two or more members in the same vulnerable group is to be counted once. For example, a household with two members who are 65 years old each would be counted once under "60 years or older."

The data on vulnerable groups are household counts; not the count of vulnerable persons or the number of heads of households that are vulnerable.

Number of Households by Any Vulnerable Group, for EACH Type of Assistance [9]

For each type of LIHEAP assistance provided, include the unduplicated number of households that had at least one member belonging to any of the three vulnerable household groups. For example, if a cooling assisted household includes any vulnerable members, then count that household once under any vulnerable group (Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child) for cooling assistance.

Number of Households by Each Vulnerable Group, for ANY Type of Assistance [10]

Household data are to be reported separately for each group of vulnerable households that received ANY type of LIHEAP assistance. For example, if a heating assisted household has two children under the age 5 and one person over the age of 60, then count that household under Any Type of Assistance, once under elderly member, once under young child, and once under Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child. See Table 4 for examples.

Number of Households by Any Vulnerable Group, for ANY Type of Assistance [11]

Count assisted households having at least one member that is 60 years or older, disabled, or 5 years or younger for ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance. For example, if a household receives cooling and weatherization assistance includes at least one vulnerable member, then count that household as receiving ANY Type of Assistance under Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child.

Optional Breakout of Households with Young Children

Both House Report 103-483 and Senate Report 103-251 on S. 2000, the predecessor to Public Law 103-252 (the Human Services Amendments of 1994), instructed the Department to develop reporting requirements that distinguish between children under 3 years of age and those 3 years through 5 years of age.

Table 4. Household Scenarios in Counting Unduplicated Vulnerable Households by EACH and ANY Type of LIHEAP Assistance

*Do not add the separate numbers of elderly, disabled or young child households to calculate the unduplicated number of Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child households for EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance, as assisted households can have members counted under more than one vulnerable group.

**Do not add the column of the unduplicated number of assisted households for each type of assistance to calculate the unduplicated number households for ANY Type of Assistance, as assisted households can be counted under more than one type of LIHEAP assistance.

***Do not add the number of Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child households for each type of LIHEAP assistance to calculate the unduplicated number of Elderly, Disabled, or Young Child households under ANY Type or LIHEAP Assistance, as such households can be counted under EACH Type of LIHEAP Assistance.

The count of assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under is required. Counts of assisted households with at least one child who is (a) 2 years old or under and (b) between 3 years-5 years are requested, i.e., optional, data items if the grantee elects to report the data. See Table 5 for examples.

Counts of assisted households with at least one child (a) who is 2 years old or younger and (b) who is between 3 years through 5 years are requested (i.e., optional) data items.

If reporting the requested data:

Count the number of assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under for each type of LIHEAP assistance provided.

Using those assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under, count the number of households with at least one child who is 2 years old or under.

Using those assisted households with at least one child 5 years or under, count the number of households with at least one child who is between 3 years through 5 years old regardless of whether those households have already been counted age 2 years or under.

The sum of the number of households with at least one child 2 years or under and the number of households with at least one child between 3 years-5 years should be greater than the number of households with at least one child 5 years or under.

Table 5. Requested (Optional) Data Counts of Assisted Households with Young Children

(C*) a young child 2 years or under (C**) a young child between 3- 5 years